That’s what everyone says, right — “Ithaca is Gorges.” We have, at last count, three items in our (downsized) house that bear those three words. You can’t go anywhere here without seeing these three words stamped or printed or carved on every object imaginable. The phrase even has an entry in the urban dictionary.

With that said, um…yes…this area is gorgeous. Reminding us of that fact on a regular basis is our proximity to Taughannock Falls State Park. Taughannock Falls has the special distinction of being both impossible to spell and impossible to pronounce. It’s one of the tallest waterfalls east of the Rockies. It’s taller than Niagara Falls, though Niagara Falls has a few things going for it that Taughannock doesn’t (I’m talking about the casinos, of course … and the underage drinking).

We’ll probably end up hiking the just-under-3-mile rim loop trail once every other week. That, or never again. The views from the north rim are better than from the south, but there’s something satisfying about completing the entire loop. There’s also a fabulous trail up the bottom of the gorge that is worth adding to the loop or hiking on its own.

We went on a particularly un-photogenic day, and look how great it still managed to look:

Every time I visit, a different couple is cuddling on the steps. It’s a very cuddle-able view.

The falls through a gap in the trees.

Cayuga Lake from the north rim.

Stairs through the woods.

The first fall at the top of the gorge.

Read Our Book:

Read about Paul fighting off a charging bear with a Fat Tire beer can (kinda made up). And this: Lisa meeting a talking piece of poo in the middle of the desert (maybe that was dehydration). And we realize that the meaning of life is wrapped up in a motel waffle (this is probably true).